"When I hear the Germans say that they maintain a very moral stance about debt and strongly believe that debts must be repaid, then I think: 'what a huge joke!' Germany is the country that has never repaid its debts. It has no standing to lecture other nations," he said.

"There is neither a reason for France, nor Germany, and especially not for Europe, to be happy. I am much more afraid that the conservatives, especially in Germany, are about to destroy Europe and the European idea, all because of their shocking ignorance of history."

The French economist, named in March by Prospect Magazine as the world's most influential thinker, made his comments ahead of emergency talks between Angela Merkel and France's President Francois Hollande.